The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-12-03

crlmsoned palnfuiiy as she glanced at the woman by the window.
 "It's Buck Cummin's," said the tall woman, who was Mrs. William Brant, pretty Kitty's stepmother, "an' he's purtendiR to be dead in love with my Kit here, which would nigh as soon hey rattler or horned frog round her. He knowed my old man was away to the settlement fer stores, an tux the chance fer to make us a call. Kit she slammed the door into his face this mornin', an it's been kep' barred ever since till jes' now.'' Ali tine while Mrs. Brant was speak ing her sharp eyes were following the movements of the men without as she stood by the one window.
 "But I fear I have placed you in danger!" exclaimed Duke, glancing with respectful admiration at the young girl.
 "There won't be no gre't of trouble" i" grimly returned Mrs. Brant. "Buck Cummin's won't dast show his face in- side the door now there's man round the premises, an he ain't goin' to wait till John gifts back; there's an old gredge betwixt lem, an he knows John swore to shoot him on sight"
 This was an entirely new phase of existence to Duke Ridge. His father, a wealthy Chicagoan, had bought into a large cattle ranch in southern Mis- souri, toward which Duke was mak- ing his way by easy stages, enjoying the novelty of his ever-c changing sur ronndings with the keenest possible zest.
 He frankly explained his circum- stances, while Kitty tripped lightly about the room, preparing an appe- tizing meal for the hungry young stranger.
 Buck Cummings and his two com- panions had withdrawn to the "shanty boat" so that Mrs. Brant, putting down her rifle, became communicative after the manner of women in the west leading lives completely isolated from society.
 Thus Duke learned that Kitty's mother-Mr. Brant's first wite-was an English lady of good family, and that Kitty herself had had advantages of good society and schooling before the misfortunes which had sent MT. Brant into the wilderness, where he had given Kitty stepmother.
 "Though Kits as nigh to me as if she was my very own," she added, with loving look, which wonder fully softened the somewhat hard lines of her masculine features.
 So the afternoon wore on, Duke prudently refraining from stepping outside the door until the departure of the three desperadoes with their shanty boat.
 "Thcy'll be off by sundown. Buck Cummin's, bully as he calls hisself, ain't goin' to take no chances of my old man drorin' on him secon' time," Mrs. Brant asserted confidently as she came in from hobbling Dukes broncho, which had been contentedly grazing about the building.
 But the sun went down, and neither did the boat pull out from the bank, nor was the welcome roll of the wheels of John Brant's tilted wagon heard approaching the house.
 Mrs. Brant began to grow uneasy, and stepped to the door more than once to look through the gathering darkness in vain.
 The only thing visible was the light shining through the small win dow in the shanty boat, where to judge by the sounds of boisterous mirth, high revelry was being held.
 "Pm going to try to find out what those fellows are up to-" said Duke, at length; "for feel sure they are plan- ming some sort of mischief"
 elf you think you won't come to grief noways," rather doubtfully re- marked Mrs. Brant.
 "You had better take fathers spare revolver" suggested Kitty.
 But Duke unwisely declined, and slipping through the partly open door, stole to the bank under cover of the darkness.
 The boat was like an ordinary "flat," the "shanty" or cabin being at the stern, raised some three feet above the flush deck. In the end fronting the bow was the one window or aperture intended for small. narrow sash.
 Through this came the light of a smoking cabin lamp, a cloud of to- bacco smoke, and the murmur of voices.
 Creeping over the rail, Duke wormed himself along the dirty deck to the square opening.
 "Wot's the use waitin' hour longer?" one ofthe trio, an ill., favored, black bearded fellow addressed as Ben was saying. elf you're so sot on carryin' off the gal an marvin her outer-h hand, whether she's willin' or not, why not set to work one time wells another, Buck?"